- Date
- April 5, 2010, 17:44 local (22:44 UTC)
- Place
- Muleshoe, TX
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N58BDStroup Robert RV-6
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 1, 2010
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- FAA report
- 20100405030779A
- Case key
- 75660
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during takeoff in strong, gusting winds.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot lined up the airplane along the centerline of runway 25 and noted that the winds would be a "strong quartering left headwind/crosswind." Shortly after commencing the takeoff roll the airplane's tailwheel lifted off the ground and the airplane began to veer left as the airplane weathervaned about 20 degrees to the left of the runway heading. The pilot elected not to abort the takeoff and attempted to correct back to the runway heading. As the airplane approached the edge of the 60-foot-wide runway it became airborne. Control of the airplane was lost and the airplane pitched up and rolled right. The roll continued until the airplane was inverted, at which time the nose dropped and the airplane impacted the runway inverted and skidded 20 feet off the right side of the runway. A review of photos provided by the pilot and first responders revealed substantial damage to the fuselage and both wings. There were no reported anomalies with the airframe or engine prior to impact. At the time of the accident weather in the vicinity of the airport was winds from 220 degrees at 20 knots gusting to 27 knots.
Factual narrative
The pilot lined up the airplane along the centerline of runway 25 and noted that the winds would be a "strong quartering left headwind/crosswind." Shortly after commencing the takeoff roll the airplane's tail wheel lifted off the ground and the airplane began to veer left as the airplane weather vaned about 20 degrees to the left of runway heading. The pilot elected not to abort the takeoff and attempted to correct back to runway heading. As the airplane approached the edge of the 60-foot wide runway, the airplane became airborne. Control of the airplane was lost and the airplane pitched up and rolled right. The roll continued until the airplane was inverted at which time the nose dropped towards the runway and the airplane impacted the runway inverted and skidded 20 feet off the right side of the runway. A review of photos provided by the pilot and first responders revealed substantial damage to the fuselage and both wings. There were no reported anomalies with the airframe or engine prior to impact. At the time of the accident weather in the vicinity of the airport was winds from 220 degrees at 20 knots gusting to 27.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N58BD
- Reported as
- Stroup Robert RV-6
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 20070
- Engine
- Lycoming 0-320 SERIES, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Carter David C
- Registered owner
- Carter David C
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed
- 2T1 · Muleshoe Muni, TX
- Destination
- Temple, TX
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- 2T1 · Muleshoe Muni, runway 25, 5,100 × 60 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 70
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 2, 2009
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 5,496 total · 256 in this make and model · 5,496 as pilot in command · 12 in the last 90 days · 12 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 210° at 24 knots, gusting 30
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 23 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.79 inHg
- Observed at
- KCVN, 26 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 20, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.1 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.